Moda Fabrics Roll-up Picnic Quilt - Downloadable PDF

Moda Fabrics Roll-Up Picnic Quilt – Free Downloadable PDF Pattern Summary

The Moda Fabrics Roll-Up Picnic Quilt is a cheerful, practical quilting project that produces a finished quilt measuring 60 inches by 60 inches — a generous square size perfectly suited for outdoor picnics, backyard gatherings, or casual home use. Designed and published by Moda Fabrics, this pattern is available as a free downloadable PDF under product reference PS RS5022-1. It is rated as an intermediate difficulty project, making it an excellent choice for quilters who are comfortable with basic patchwork and are ready to work with structured sashing layouts and multi-row assembly.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a large square patchwork quilt designed with a roll-up or picnic-friendly aesthetic in mind. The finished piece is built from 18 fabric blocks arranged into six rows of three blocks each, unified by a structured sashing system that frames and separates each block. The result is a clean, grid-based quilt top that showcases a variety of coordinating fabrics — ideal for showing off a fat quarter bundle or a curated fabric collection from the Moda Fabrics range.

Block Construction and Layout

Each of the 18 main fabric blocks is cut to 18½ inches wide by 8½ inches tall, with two pieces cut from each fat quarter or quarter-yard cut of fabric. These rectangular blocks form the primary visual panels of the quilt. The blocks are assembled into six horizontal rows, with each row containing three blocks joined along their short edges. Seams throughout the project are pressed open for a flat, professional finish.

The layout follows a straightforward but carefully sequenced assembly process:

• Six rows of three blocks each are pieced together along short edges.
• Sashing strips are added to the bottom edge of all canvas rectangles before rows are joined, creating consistent horizontal separation between rows.
• Two specific blocks receive a 20-inch by 2-inch sashing strip on their top edge as part of the row-top treatment.
• One designated block receives a 21½-inch by 2-inch sashing strip on its top edge, accommodating a slightly different positional requirement within the layout.

Sashing Details and Cutting

The sashing is a key structural and decorative element of this quilt. It is cut from a dedicated sashing fabric in 2-inch width-of-fabric (WOF) strips, with a total of 17 strips required. These are then sub-cut into several specific rectangle sizes to serve different positions within the quilt layout:

• From 9 strips: cut 2 rectangles each at 18½ inches wide, yielding 18 total — used on the bottom edge of all blocks.
• From 6 strips: cut 4 rectangles each at 10 inches wide, yielding 24 total — used for vertical or additional horizontal sashing segments.
• From 1 strip: cut 2 rectangles at 20 inches wide, yielding 2 total — used on the top edge of two specific blocks.
• From 1 strip: cut 1 rectangle at 21½ inches wide, yielding 1 total — used on the top edge of one specific block.

All sashing seams are pressed open throughout construction, which helps reduce bulk and keeps the quilt top lying flat — an especially important consideration for a quilt intended for outdoor use on uneven ground.

Techniques Used

This pattern draws on several core quilting techniques that intermediate quilters will find both familiar and satisfying to practice:

• Rotary cutting — precise cutting of fat quarters, quarter-yard pieces, and WOF sashing strips into specific rectangular dimensions.
• Patchwork block assembly — joining rectangular fabric panels along short edges to build horizontal rows.
• Sashing construction — attaching narrow fabric strips between and around blocks to create a structured grid layout.
• Pressing seams open — a technique used consistently